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About the Magazine

One school.
Four majors.
Endless possibilities.
Compass is an online magazine produced by the School of Communication's Advanced Reporting and Photojournalism students at Loyola University Chicago. It profiles alumni who have successful careers in various communication fields including journalism, advertising, public relations and nonprofit organizations.

Elisabeth Lisican

Ever since she was old enough to read, Elisabeth Lisican knew she wanted to be a writer.

Now, at age 30, she has already compiled a long and established list of successes from her career.

Lisican, a Loyola University Chicago alumna, currently works as a Managing Editor at Water & Wastes Digest magazine, a product of Scranton Gillette Communications Inc. in Arlington Heights.

“I love the variety of what I get to do there,” Lisican said. “There’s no boring day.”

Her day-to-day duties include writing and editing articles, managing production schedules and social media, compiling e-newsletters and representing publications at trade shows.

Lisican has worked at Water & Wastes Digest since October 2009, where she was first hired as an Associate Editor, working with the company’s water group, and eventually advanced to her current position.

“It’s a very multi-faceted job and this company has allowed me to grow and advance,” she said. “I have a lot of really great responsibilities.”

Lisican graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and a double minor in English and Business Administration.

While there, she also completed a number of internships in the city. She interned for ABC7 Chicago and People Magazine (while they still had a Chicago bureau) just to name a few.

“During my time at Loyola, I did several different internships,” Lisican said. “I really wanted to try my hand at a lot of different things.”

She was also President of Loyola’s chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Lisican notes John Slania and Beth Konrad as two of her most influential professors.

“Those two really encouraged me to continue writing and pursue journalism; they’re so inspirational and great role models,” she said. “And we still keep in touch today so I think that says a lot.”

Upon graduating from Loyola, Lisican worked as a correspondent for The Post-Tribune in Northwest Indiana and freelanced for a number of different media outlets.

In 2009, she helped to develop the “Who’s Who In Chicago Business” list for Crain’s Chicago Business, a list of more than 750 of the city’s executives and business leaders.

Lisican said there have been a number of highlights from her time working with Water & Wastes Digest.

In January 2012, she and the editorial staff went on a tour of the Mainstream Pumping Station in Hodgkins, Ill., and had the opportunity to descend 350 feet underground into the largest underground sewage pumping station in the world.

Also, in October 2014, she represented the magazine on a press tour with a group of journalists overseas, visiting pump manufacturing facilities in both Hungary and Denmark.

“[Because of] the opportunity I’ve had to learn about the water industry, I’ve learned so much about a very niche industry,” Lisican said. “I’ve grown to love it.”

As for the future, Lisican’s number one goal is to continue writing. She hopes to try her hand at different styles as well as expand her portfolio.

“I’m very open-minded,” she said. “I love the water industry so I honestly don’t see myself exiting it anytime soon.”